1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an assembly for distributing fertilizer, as well as a large variety of other particulate materials, which is adaptable to be mounted on different types of ground or water traveling vehicles. The distribution assembly is structured to regulate the introduction of the particulate material into an air flow thereby facilitating the distribution of the material throughout large and/or hard to reach areas as well as smaller, substantially confined areas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Air blower assemblies are well known and have been used for a variety of applications for many years. Typically, such devices are of relatively light weight construction and as such are portable, being typically hand held or otherwise supported on a user's body. In operation, such devices include the provision of an impeller which draws air into a housing and out through a housing outlet commonly associated with an elongated nozzle or like flow directing structure. The air is expelled at a significantly high flow rate in order to create an air stream having sufficient force to remove leaves, dirt and a variety of other types of debris from driveways, walkways and other surface areas.
The extensive use of known blower assemblies has led to their adaptation for numerous applications, other than that described above. More specifically, attempts have been made to structurally modify conventional blower assemblies for use either in a vacuum mode or in a forced air discharge mode, respectively intended to either collect or disperse debris and like materials. In addition to the above, blower devices have been found to be particularly useful, when structurally modified in the proper manner, to aid in the dispersement of various types of materials. Appropriately modified blowers intended for this use serve to supplement manual seed and/or fertilizer spreaders commonly employed to plant and maintain lawns, grass turf or the like. Therefore, it is generally recognized that the high velocity air stream generated by the typical blower assembly provides a versatile and efficient means of distributing materials throughout a wide variety of areas, not capable of being efficiently serviced by more conventional spreaders.
While such prior art attempts may be considered to be at least minimally operative in accomplishing their intended purpose, devices of this type lack versatility and have been found to be less than efficient. Other disadvantages associated with spreaders incorporating a forced air flow is an inability to adequately regulate delivery of the intended material due at least in part to an inconsistent feeding control of material to the generated air stream. This type of ineffective performance results in an uneven distribution of materials throughout the area being treated.
In addition, it has been found that attempted modifications to incorporate a blower commonly require the use of relatively short discharge nozzles, which limit the range or area throughout which the particulate material may be effectively spread. As a result, areas which are more difficult to reach must be serviced by hand and/or by personnel manually carrying a blower/spreader. However, when using high powered blowers, the high rate of material discharge results in a large quantity of material being discharged in a short period of time. Therefore unless an operator can carry a significantly large quantity of the material to be dispersed, the operator must repeatedly return to a supply area for replenishment of the material in order to properly service terrain which is not easily accessible. Accordingly it is obvious that such body supported assemblies, while being capable of reaching isolated areas, are not consistently operative for a long period of time and are therefore not practical.
Another problematic area associated with the distribution of fertilizer or other particulate material includes the fertilization or other treatment of potted plants. As set forth above, a distribution assembly for particulate material which incorporates a blower, typically relies on a high-velocity forced flow of air or airstream in which the particulate material is introduced. The high-velocity of the airstream is advantageous when directing the particulate material throughout a relatively large area or to areas located a significant distance from the material supply. However, the delivery of particulate material to a predetermined area of reduced size or space such as, but not limited to, a potted plant presents problems which are not easily overcome by conventional particulate material distribution assemblies.
Therefore, a preferred and improved distribution assembly should have sufficient versatility to include an adaptor assembly which is structured to facilitate the efficient delivery of particulate material to a confined space or area such as that defined by the potted plant. Such structural adaptation is of particular importance and benefit in the fertilization or other treatment of nurseries or farms having a large number of such potted plants.
In addition, there is a significant need for an assembly capable of effectively distributing particulate material having a wide range of particulate sizes. Such an improved distribution assembly should be capable of efficiently maintaining control of the supply of particulate material to a generated air stream, thereby distributing the particulate material substantially evenly throughout an area targeted for treatment. Further, such a preferred or improved distribution assembly should include operative and structural components which allow the delivery of material to areas of different sizes, locations and categories. More specifically, an improved distribution assembly of the type set forth herein, should have the structural and operational versatility to be used for the delivery of particulate materials to large and/or hard to reach areas as well as significantly smaller areas. In the latter category, an improved distribution assembly should be capable of material delivery to the predetermined area of reduced sizes, such as individual potted plants, as set forth above. In each of these various applications a variety of different vehicles may be used as a mobile support platform for the distribution assembly.
Further, such an improved distribution assembly should be easily converted, without structural modification, for use as a blower, in the conventional fashion, or as a spreader as described above. Finally, when utilized with a mobile platform, an improved distribution assembly should be easily mounted on and removed from the platform in order that the mobile platform can be used in the performance of other applications for which it may have been originally intended.